Summer Dares – Inland 360https://inland360.com
Where you go for what you do.Mon, 21 Jan 2019 18:23:27 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.2Learn basic animal-tracking skills to find out who is in the woods with youhttps://inland360.com/kids/2016/06/learn-basic-animal-tracking-skills-to-find-out-who-is-in-the-woods-with-you/
https://inland360.com/kids/2016/06/learn-basic-animal-tracking-skills-to-find-out-who-is-in-the-woods-with-you/#respondThu, 23 Jun 2016 19:13:44 +0000https://inland360.com/?p=1057150

Greg Hodapp leads a Junior Ranger program at Hells Gate State Park

If you’re out in the woods by yourself, chances are you’re not alone. Those who want to know what else might be sharing space with them in the wilds can learn a few animal-tracking basics.

Greg Hodapp, park ranger at Hells Gate State Park, recommends reading Olaus J. Murie’s “Guide to Animal Tracks of North America.” The field guide, which includes detailed sketches and descriptions of tracks and scat, has been a go-to resource since it was published in the 1950s, Hodapp said.

But matching a track with its species isn’t everything, Hodapp said. When you’re learning to identify which animals have been in an area, one of the keys is cultivating awareness.

“It’s going into the woods. You want to go in with eyes that are looking at everything,” Hodapp said.

That means moving slowly, or even not at all. Rather than looking at specific animal signs, he said, notice connections in the space you’re in — game trails, buck scrapes, beaver activity, what plants are around. Make observations that catch your attention and allow those things to grow your curiosity.

“It’s not just about drawing conclusions,” Hodapp said. “It’s about looking at it and wondering about it. Just soak up as much as you can in a certain space.”

Newbies to animal tracking don’t need to worry about how long ago an animal was in that space, where it came from, where it was going, how long it was there — such skills are reserved for those who’ve been at it a long time. Instead, build familiarity and leave a space with questions that focus your research. And where do you go once you’ve exhausted your field guide?

“You’ve just gotta be a bloodhound and sniff that info out,” Hodapp said.

The internet has a lot of information, Hodapp said, but there is much about the natural world that is tucked away in books. Crowdsourcing — asking on social media, for example — can also provide information.

Upcoming Hells Gate Junior Ranger programs

All programs take place at 1:30 p.m. and begin at the Discovery Center unless otherwise noted. The programs are free; admission to the park is $5/vehicle.

Track Casting, Saturday – Learn basics of track identification, observe tracks at a couple locations within the park and get a chance to cast tracks using plastic molds that mimic what might be found in the wild. Also: learn the “Scat Song.”

Experience the Missoula Floods, July 2 – Learn about the cataclysmic forces that helped shape the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. Bring clothes that can get dirty and wet.

Hunting the FBI (Fungus Bacteria and Invertebrates), July 23 – Find out how fungus, bacteria and invertebrate decompose organic material into soil. Bring clothes that can get dirty and meet at the north end of the day-use parking lot next to the volleyball court.

The Music of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Aug. 13 – Learn about the musicians of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, their music, and the different things music and songs were used for during that time period.

]]>https://inland360.com/kids/2016/06/learn-basic-animal-tracking-skills-to-find-out-who-is-in-the-woods-with-you/feed/0Save on energy and use the sun to do some summer cookinghttps://inland360.com/top-headlines/2016/06/save-on-energy-and-use-the-sun-to-do-some-summer-cooking/
https://inland360.com/top-headlines/2016/06/save-on-energy-and-use-the-sun-to-do-some-summer-cooking/#respondThu, 23 Jun 2016 19:07:41 +0000https://inland360.com/?p=1057147

Even on the hottest of days, cooking an egg on the sidewalk is unlikely to result in something that’s safe for consumption. But that doesn’t mean your summer has to be devoid of sun-cooked eggs.

Solar cookers use the energy of direct sunlight to cook food and come in a number of designs that range from simple to complex. These ovens can be purchased or made and rely on a reflective surface — typically shaped as panels, boxes or parabolas — that heats the food. A well-designed and properly used solar cooker can be used even on a cold, sunny day in the winter.

Instructions for homemade solar cookers can be found online. The plans utilize various strategies of capturing and reflecting as many of the sun’s rays as possible, while absorbing and trapping heat in a cooking vessel. Materials vary, but typically include easily accessible items like boxes, aluminum foil, Styrofoam, glass sheets, windshield sun shades, black cooking vessels, cooling racks or clear oven roasting bags.

Once you build your solar cooker, follow instructions for use. Some cookers need to be repositioned regularly to capture the sun’s rays. Also, just because they rely on sunlight doesn’t mean they are harmless; don’t forget to use hot pads to protect your hands from burns and wear sunglasses while doing your cooking.

The best thing about moving your cooking off the sidewalk — besides the fact that your food won’t make you sick — is that your menu isn’t so limited. With different cooking techniques and times, solar cookers can be used to boil water, cook rice, slow-cook meat, bake breads, cookies and more.

They might not deter criminals or zombies, but marshmallow guns are certainly adept at scaring away summer boredom.

With less than $5, you can acquire everything you need for one gun and a whole bag full of ammo…er, mini-marshmallows.

For serious marshmallow artillery, go to the plumbing section of your local hardware store and purchase 22 inches of ½ inch PVC pipe. You’ll want this cut into one 7-inch length, three 2-inch lengths and three 3-inch lengths — you can do this at home using a basic hacksaw, but the store may be equipped to do the cutting for you. You’ll also need two elbow connectors, two T-connectors and two end caps, all in ½ inch sizing. Spray paint and permanent markers are optional for decoration.

Assembling the gun is as simple as pushing the pieces together and because there’s no glue that needs to dry, you can begin using it right away. Should you want to pretty-up your new gun or distinguish it from others, you can use spray paint and/or permanent markers.

To use the gun, just place a mini-marshmallow in the mouthpiece and blow; the white food stuff will exit the pipe with a “flump” — giggles may soon follow.

Sure, eating a watermelon is good summer fun, but if that’s where the fun ends it’s probably only because you don’t have a catapult on hand. The obvious remedy for such a situation is to build one.

And in fact, that’s what the Pernsteiner family of the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley did several years ago. They built a trebuchet — a type of catapult that relies on falling weight rather than tension — using only materials they had on hand. Besides watermelon, they launched a number of other items, including a pumpkin, 2-liter pop bottles, a bowling ball, sack of flour and plastic-wrapped ball of cooked spaghetti. The watermelon didn’t go the farthest, nor was it easy to control (John Pernsteiner recalled one that flew backwards), but it did have “an exciting explosion when it hit the ground,” he said.

Should you want a backwards flying, exploding watermelon in your summer adventures, instructions for building these medieval siege devices are diverse and plentiful on the internet. One entry for a “Giant Trebuchet” features directions on how to “make a giant trebuchet in less than a day with a couple of trees, some rope and a few other easily found parts.” Should you be lacking in spare trees, however, other plans include materials such as lumber or metal. If you need to scale your project to launch, say, a marshmallow, you can find plans that make use of cardboard or even pencils.

It should be said that the Pernsteiners’ trebuchet has since been dismantled for safety reasons, as it proved as capable of launching humans as watermelons. Should you take on this dare, use necessary precautions and mind that your watermelons don’t land on the neighbor’s roof.

]]>https://inland360.com/top-headlines/2016/06/launch-some-flying-watermelons-with-a-catapult/feed/0How to have a Bigfoot experience in the Inland Northwesthttps://inland360.com/top-headlines/2016/06/how-to-have-a-bigfoot-experience-in-the-inland-northwest/
https://inland360.com/top-headlines/2016/06/how-to-have-a-bigfoot-experience-in-the-inland-northwest/#respondTue, 21 Jun 2016 22:50:17 +0000https://inland360.com/?p=1057080

Here’s a challenge that could consume all your summer days and nights – hunt for Bigfoot.
The Northwest is thick with Bigfoot tales dating back before Europeans arrived. The Nez Perce called Bigfoot the spooky man of the woods.

Thousands of acres of remote, forested, roadless terrain would seem the ideal location for a very large, mobile, intelligent and shy creature whose existence is highly debatable.

You might best begin your search near the location of a previous sighting (click on the map below left for the sightings in 360’s territory). Hunting skills would be useful. Learn to move through the woods silently and scent-free by eliminating human odors from your clothing and body days before your expedition. You will not want to have a campfire. Bigfoot is said to be nocturnal and that would be a sure sign of your presence. Night vision would be useful.

What are you looking for? Most reports describe a creature 6 to 10 feet tall, weighing about 500 pounds with brown, reddish or gray hair, stumpy neck and malodorous stench. It walks with a human gait, taking long strides, arms hanging almost to its knees. Some encounters are not sightings but unexplained sounds, noises like whistling, loud howls and knocks. A casting material like plaster of Paris or dental stone is handy in case you find tracks.

Keep in mind an estimated 70 to 100 percent of sightings are misidentifications or hoaxes. Bug and bear spray would be good to have as these are things you are far more likely to encounter.

If all this sounds like too much work, but you still want to find Bigfoot, you could buy a trail camera and mount it near some tempting bait; Bigfoot is said to be omnivorous. Or, you could traipse about hoping to run into one by chance, which seems to be what happens in the vast majority of cases.

If you have a smartphone you likely have camera and video capability, which means if you are incredibly patient and quick and unbelievably lucky you could offer the world another shred of evidence that the legend is true.

If you are none of those things, then hopefully you’ve spent some enjoyable time communing with nature.

If ordinary camping is too primitive and dull for your personal tastes, then glamping — “glamorous camping” — may be the solution.

While “glamped-up” vintage trailers are the most popular expression of the practice, there are a hundred ways to do glamping. In 2013, before she had ever heard of glamping, Sue Johnson bought an old trailer with a leaky roof and covered the warped ceiling and walls in wallpaper, painted zebra stripes on the outside and found a home for the African decor and animal prints that didn’t seem to fit in her 100-year-old farmhouse. She put it in her yard and her husband, Arnie, built a roof structure over the top — so while the trailer is now immobile, it serves as a unique guesthouse.

And that’s what glamping is about: adding your own fanciful flair to what you already have. You can glamp-up a new trailer with a favorite theme, play off the vintage styles in an older trailer or even do some tent glamping. Wall covers, light fixtures, unique fabrics and neatly arranged shelves create a tiny, cozy spot with all the visual comforts of home. Gone is the austere outdoor experience: glampers bring potted plants, ornate beaded curtains, strings of outdoor lights and plenty of gussied-up pillows.

Johnson has held a “glamp-out” the past two years at her home. After all, glamour is only one part of what is typically a social experience. Events that gather fellow glampers have a built-in camaraderie that lends itself not only to plenty of fun and laughter, but the sharing of glamping ideas and tips. And some glampers have found that public glamping on their own seems to attract interested fellow campers.

Aspiring glampers can start with what they already have, said Johnson, then play off a decor theme based on what you like or already have. Glamping-out a tent or trailer is a slow project that builds over time as ideas (and money) come. Read up on glamping, she said, and don’t forget to join in any local glamp-outs.

If laying in a backyard hammock is summer laziness at its finest, then surely making your own justifies its use.

Hammocks come in a number of materials, so select your hammock style based on how you plan to use it. Popular net-style hammock materials include nylon rope and paracord; fabric hammocks can be made from nylon, canvas, taffeta and even bed sheets.

To make a hammock using only nylon rope and a twin bedsheet, you’ll first want to create a secure spot on the end so you can hang it with a rope. Tie a loop into your rope, leaving a 4-inch tail. Fold over one of the short ends of the sheet to around 8 inches. At about 2 inches from the newly folded edge, gather the fabric from both sides until both sides meet in the middle. Now wrap the cord where your hand holds the fabric together by threading the end of the cord through the loop. Cinch the loop down and tightly wrap the rope around the hammock a few times, tying the ends together in a strong knot. This creates a loop through which to thread the rope that will hang the hammock. Do this to the other end of the bedsheet and now your hammock is ready to hang.

Ever wonder if you have what it takes to join the circus? Slacklining might be one way to find out.

Slacklining is a relatively new sport that has risen in popularity in recent years. It is similar to tightrope walking, except it is done on a slack — rather than tight — length of flat webbing. The available stretch and bounce creates a more dynamic line. The line is typically hung low to the ground using any number of anchors, though most commonly with large trees.

To create a slackline that is easy to set up and take down, you can purchase a slackline set, which typically costs between $30-$70. Once your line is up, it’s time to start walking. An experienced slackliner makes it look easy, but chances are you’re going to do some wobbling and falling before successfully walking from one end of the line to the other. Strategies for beginners can be found online and include going barefoot, having a friend walk alongside you for support, focusing on a single point rather than looking at your feet, putting your arms out and keeping your knees bent.

Double Dare: Learn some tricks. Once you master walking your slackline, try doing 180s, sitting on the line or even holding a yoga pose.

A lemonade stand represents summer idealism at its finest; a business venture built on slower-paced life, neighborly trust and the kindness of strangers. And that’s why we dare you to give it a go.

A successful lemonade stand requires consideration of timing, advertising and — no, not quality lemonade — adorableness. Hold your lemonade stand on a hot day when a refreshing beverage will be most appreciated. Use brightly colored signs with visible lettering to announce the available goods and get the word out to your friends and family on social media. And don’t forget the “aw factor.” Use whatever available cuteness you have to your advantage — kids, pets, miniature items.

Of course, you’ll need cups and lemonade too, but whether it’s made from real lemons or manufactured powder is inconsequential for a single-day business.

Just be forewarned that, unlike those idyllic, carefree memories of yesteryear, your lemonade stand is subject to licensing and tax laws, just like any other business. A one-day lemonade stand held on personal property won’t likely require a business license, but check with your city to find out local regulations. In addition, a sales tax permit is required for the sale of any goods — yes, even luke-warm lemonade made with sour dust and a stray bug or two — and you’ll be required to charge, and submit, sales tax.

But if you love lemonade stands as much as you hate paperwork, you still have a fun, entirely legal option: Instead of selling your lemonade, give it away and collect donations for the charity of your choice.

]]>https://inland360.com/kids/2016/06/get-your-lemonade-stand-up-and-going-legally/feed/0Dare to go unplugged: A digital detox might be just what you needhttps://inland360.com/top-headlines/2016/06/dare-to-live-an-unplugged-summer-a-digital-detox-might-be-just-what-you-need/
https://inland360.com/top-headlines/2016/06/dare-to-live-an-unplugged-summer-a-digital-detox-might-be-just-what-you-need/#respondWed, 15 Jun 2016 22:46:15 +0000https://inland360.com/?p=1057025

Before you jump into summer think about how you could make it even better — by ditching digital technology.

The truth is many of us spend vast amounts of time using it to do nothing. We gorge on photos and videos of other people’s lives, respond to likes and shares like Pavlov’s dogs and are constantly distracted by pings, pokes, notifications and apps reminding us they are there and we’re not.

Consider a digital detox, time without screens or maybe even text messages. Go on a social media sabbatical and connect with people face to face. Remove the earbuds and listen to the birds. Do it for a day, a week, a month or make it a smartphone-free summer and see what happens. You’ll probably find things to talk about that you didn’t see online. You may find more time to spend with loved ones, exercise, read a novel, or feel the sun.

Afraid you will miss something by taking a break? Maybe you already are.

8 Tips for Digital Dieting

1. Limit use to specific times during the day and stick to those times.

2. Resolve to give all people, especially children, your full attention in interactions.

4. Visit your settings pages and disable “push notifications” and “alerts” so you are the one to determine when you check for messages.

5. Set aside technology during meals, an hour after waking and at least an hour before bedtime.

6. If you’re foregoing social media for an extended time you could let people know with a status update telling them the best way to reach you (phone call, visit, mail). You could change your profile picture to “Back on 9/1/16” or whatever date you’ve chosen.

7. Keep a journal of your unplugged experiences, note times of day you feel most compelled to check in. Note feelings of ease or focus you may experience from having fewer distractions.

8. Decide which parts of your digital life matter the most to you and be conscious about the time you spend there.